Mechanism for placing and soldering heads in cans



(ModeL) '5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. G. 1-1. PIERCE.

Mechanism for Placing and Soldering Heads in Cans. No. 235,700; H Patentd Dem 21,1880,

I R JWW0M W QWJ NrP EYERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

(ModeL) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

' G. H. PIERCE.

Mechanism for Placing and Soldering H'fidfsintrans.

N. EIERS. PHOTO-UTHOGRAPNER, WA INGTOM D. C.

(ModeL) SSheets-Sheet a.

G. H. PIERCE.

Mechanism for Placing and Soldering Heads in Cans. No.f235,700. Patented .De'c..21, Iss0.

F. ,0! W I I 1 lywlmlmll MPEIERS. PHuTo-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D Q

(ModeL) Q 58heets-Sheet 4.

G. H. PIERCE.

Mechanism for Placingand SolderiflgHeads in Cans.

' No. 235,700. Patented Dec. 21,1880.

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(ModeL) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

G, H. PIERCE. Mec'hanism for Placing and Soldering Heads in Cans. No. 235,700. Patented 0650.21,: 80,

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEORGE H. PIERCE, OF RICHMOND, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE- EIGHTHS TO CHARLES E. BUTTERS AND WILLIAM N. OONNER, ()F BOSTON, AND-ROYAL WADLEIGH, OF NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANISM FOR PLACING AND SOLDERlNG HEADS IN CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,700, dated December 21, 1880.

Application filed August 13, 1880. (Model) i I held a can-expander is caused to descend within the open end of the can and expand or curve it outwardly, shaping it properly'for the easy entrance therein of the can-head to be inserted therein. The can-head isinserted laterally within a cup or cylinder, which serves to hold it in position under a plunger that descends upon the said head and depresses it into the expanded end of the can-body. This plunger is inolosed by, and at the proper timeis reciprocated vertically within, the cup or cylinder ,referred to, and in said cup is placed a quantity of pulverized rosin. This plunger is of r such shape that at each descenta small annular space is left between it and its surround- 0 ing cylinder, sufficient to permit the discharge from the cylinder upon the can-head of a suitable quantity of rosin. The next motion of the movable table carries the can-body, with the head placed in it, as described, below a circular core, and about which the solder-wire isbent to form an annulus or ring to just fit 4 5 of wire held between the feed-rollers and supplied from. a suitable reel 01' spool, the said ejector in itsdownward motion also acting to discharge the ring of solder-wire directly in place upon the can-head, as described. At the next movement of the table the can, with the said solder-wire ring in the position described, is acted upon by cylindrical solderbolt heated by gas or otherwise, that melts the solder-wire and secures the head in the can-body. During a subsequent movement of the table an arm connected with the camring which holds the sectors or jaws of the clamp in position upon the can-body islacted upon to release the sectors or jaws from the can-body, when the can with a head soldered in it is permitted to drop ,from theIsaid clamp down through a suitable opening in a bed below the table. The can having beeudischarged from the open clamp, another can-body is inserted therein, and as the table is furtherj moved another arm upon the clamp-closing cam-ring strikes a closing projection and closes the clamp upon the can-body, holding it firmly in position until again released, as just described, the said body during the time that it is so held havingapplied to it, as before described, can-head. This,intermittinglymovable table will contain a series of, preferably eight, clamps, each one of which will contain a can-body, and all the devices before stated as operating to expandgthe end of the can, insert the head, place upon it the soldering-ring, and melt the ring to solder the head will operate simultaneously upon four cans, each device performing its particular duty.

My invention consists infthe special construction and several combinations of mechanism for effecting these operations and results, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 represents, in top view, a headsoldering mechanism embodying my invention, a part of the framework being broken awayto more clearly illustrate some of the working parts, the clamp (one only being shown to avoid confusion of the drawings) being opened to receive the can-body. Fig.2 is an under-sidevieWfOt' the machine, the bottom plate, a, and pawl c and its actuating-lever being removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cen- 5 tral vertical cross-section of my machine, the clamp being in position under the solder-depositing devices. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine, the clamp not being shown, as it isin that figure supposed to'be at the toothed gear, a".

the head of the can, the said figure showing the plunger arranged within the rosin-holdin g cup or cylinder; Fig. 7, an enlarged detail, showing a front elevation of the feeding device for the solder-wire and the apparatus for forciugit into an annulus or ring; Fig. 8, a sectional detail of the plungers and devices for depositing the solder-wire on the can. Fig. i

9 represents, in section, the upper end of a canbody having a head placed within it, with the solder-wire ring in place; and Fig. 10 is a section of the solder-bolt.

The main frame-work of the machine is composed of annular plates at a, united by suitable standards a, to which are secured the cross-bars or bearings a that support the main shaft to, having upon it two cams, a a, and a This shaft (1., as herein shown, derives its movement of rotation from a pinion, a", on a shaft, a driven inany usual way, preferably by power through suitable belts and pulleys. (Not shown.)

The upper plate, a, of the frame-work has projecting upward from it a tubular stem, b, or sleeve, to receive a lifting-rod, I), having at its lower end a yoke, 11 that surrounds the cam a the said cam, by its action upon the yoke, reciprocating the said lifting-rod once after each intermittingmovement ofthe table 0. A plate, B, having a hub, D is connected by a screw, I), with the sleeve-b near its upper end. This plate B serves to guide the rods 61 e f g, to be hereinafter referred to.

A plate, if, of like shape with B, and having a hub, If, is connected by a screw, b", with the upper end of the lifting-rod b, the said plate receiving the upper ends of the rods ole fg, some of which, as hereinafter described,

are fixed upon the said plate 0', and some of which move in holes made in the said plate.

The movable table or bed 0, having made in it a suitable number of openings, 0, and having a hollow hub, 0 upon which is fixed a tooth-gear, 0 is placed above the upper plate, a, so that the hub c? is made to surround the tubular sleeve 1) loosely. This intermittinglymovable table 0 is provided, as herein shown, with a series of ratchet-teeth or holes, 0 (see Fig. 4,) and the said teeth are engaged by a .pawl, 0 at the upper end of the lever 0 pivoted at 0 and moved intermittingly by the cam of, before described. The said lever and pawl give to the movable table 0 an intermitting or step-by-step movement, sufficient to carry a clamp contained in one of the holes 0 vfar enough to place the said clamp in succession below the different devices which are to operate successively upon the can-body and its head during the operation of soldering the can-head in the can-body.

1 The clamp referred to is composed (see Figs. 1, 2, and 5) of three movable sectors, 2 3 4, the shanks 5 of which are guided in radial grooves in acollar, h. The neck of the collar his placed within one of the openings 0 of the movable bed 0, where it is suitably secured. On this collar h is a cam-ring, h. This cam-ring is held in place upon the collar h by means of gibs 7L2, the ends of which enter an annular groove, h (see Figs. 3 and 5,) at the outside of the said cam-ring. This cam-ring has suitable cam-projections n 77/ n on its inner face, to act upon and move the sectors inwardly, so as to contract them upon the outside of the canbody which is placed between them; and upon the outside of the said cam-ring are projections 12, to act upon pins 13 of the shanks of the sectors to move the sectors outwardly or withdraw them to release the can-body at the proper time. v

When the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. l the sectors of the clamp are open to receive a can-body, and as the movable table is turned forward in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the arm or projection 14 of the cam-ring will strike the pin 15, held in the extension 16 of a plate, 17, Figs. 1, 3, and 4, to be hereinafter described, which will so turn the cam-ring of the clamp contrivance as to cause it to force the sectors inwardly and clamp or hold the can-body. The can-body will be held clamped in this way until in the rotation of the table the clamp is brought in such position that the arm 18 of the cam-ring willstrike the releasing-projection 19, when the cam-ring will be so moved as to cause its projections 12 to move the sectors and release the can-body held between them, it in the meantime having had ahead soldered thereon.

ln the position shown in Fig. 1 the clamp is directly above an opening, j, (see Fig. 2,) 1n the upper plate, a, of the frame-work, the said opening permitting the can at that time to be discharged through the bottom of the clamp and the said openiugjsimply by its own gravity.

The rod (1 has its upper end-secured to the plate b and at its lower end is provided with the conical expander or spreader r1 the function of which is to enter the open end of a canbody held in position below it by the clamp rot and expand or bevel outwardly the open end of the can-body, as shown in Fig. 9, to receive within it the head It, which has been suitably flanged and beveled, as in Fig. 9, in some other proper machine.

The expander having been thrust down into the can-body for the proper distance is raised therefrom as the plate b and lifting-rod b are elevated, and the table 0 is moved forward one step, thus placing the can-body so expanded in position directly below the plunger 6, connected with the rod 6, also firmly attached at its upper end to the plate the said plunger being located within the annular cup 0, which is to contain pulverized rosin. (See Fig. 6.) This rosin-holding cup or cylinder 0 issupported upon the plate 17 before referred to, it being suspended from the plate B by means of screws 20 21, that enter posts 22' 23, forming partof the plate 17 This plate 17 hasashelf, 24, upon which is placed the can-head 70, an d the latter is inserted into position below the plunger 6 and within the cup 6 or cylinder through a slot, 25, (see Fig. 6,) therein after the cancylinder has been brought into position under it. The can-head,being.light and filling the interior of the cup 6 snugly, is supported therein friction ally; but should the friction between the flanged part of the head and cup not be sufficient to hold up the head, then the head would simply drop or settle a short distance upon the expanded top of the can preparatory to its being sealed evenly and closely on the said can-body by the plunger 6. As theplunger e descends it strikes the upper side of the canhead th en held in the path of its descent, and depresses the said can-head into the expanded end of the can-body. The plunger 6 is so tapered and so placed in the cup 6 that as the plunger reaches its lowest position sufficient space is left between its periphery and the inner side of the said cup 6 to permit the powdered rosin contained. therein to fall or be deposited about and upon the upper side of the can-head near the can-bod y. As the plunger 6 is elevated it fully closes or stops up the opening at the bottom of the cup 0 thus checking the descent of the rosin. Now the movable table 0 is again moved another step, placiug the rosined can head and body in position immediately below the devices which are to feed forward the solder-wire and form it into a ring and cut it off and deposit the ring up on the can -head. This solder-wire-feeding mechanism is composed of two grooved rollers, 26 and 27, roughened or scored, the better to engage the solder-wire. The feed-roller 26 is fixed upon a shaft, 28, having a pinion, 29, which meshes in a pinion, 30, driven by the toothed gear 31 on a stud, 32, at the lower end of which there is a small-pinion, 33, which derives its movement of rotation intermittingl y from the gears 011 the hub c of the bed 0, before described. Thefeed-roller27 merely serves the purpose of a surface against which the soldenwire may be pressed while being fed.

The device for forming the solder wire into a ring and for cutting it oft will now be described.

The shaft f, before referred to, is made as a tube, (see Fig, 8,) within which is a spiral sirin and its foot rests u on arod 2 projected upward from the circular core f attached solder-wire-ring ejecter m. (Shown as a hollow or cylindrical headfitted to embrace the core f and enter between it and the aunular casing m, supported on the plate 17.)

The springf within the rod facts to keep the collar m pressed upward against the plate b and the ring-ejector an elevated. in the po sition shown in Fig. 8, in which position the solder-wire is fed through an opening in the casing m, by the feeding-rollers, into the aunular spaces at between the core f and the annular casing m, the core f at the same time being rotated by the pinion 30, to assist in carrying the solder-wire n (shown in the said figure by the black dots) around the said core, so as to form the solder-wire into an annulus or ring. As soon as the said ring is formed the plate 11 is depressed, as before described, causing the ring-ejector m to descend into the spaces m act upon the wire a, cut it off, and deposit the ring held in the said annular space at upon the can-head, as represented in Fig. 9 by the letter n, after which the plate b is elevated and the ring-ejector is lifted by the spring f. The table 0 is now again moved forward another step, placing the can body and head, with rosin upon it and provided with the solder-wire ring, in position under the solder-bolt, a sectional detail of which is shown in Fig. 10.

The solder-bolt 9 may be of any usual shape and be heated in any usual way by gas or gasoline, and is attached to the rod 9, the upper end of which is extended loosely through the plate b and has attached to it a nut, 9 to-permit the plate b to lift the rod and solder-bolt for the proper distance to enable it to descend upon and retire from the solder-wire and canhead.

The extent or degree of pressure ofthe solderbolt upon the carrhead may be varied by expanding or contracting the spring 9 placed upon the rod g, the said spring being pressed upon and compressed more or less during the descent of the plate b after the lower end of the solder-bolt g touches the solder-ring.

In some instances I may desire to partially rotate the solder-bolt g. I have not in the drawings shown devices for that purpose, but a simple way would be to provide the gear 31 at its top with a grooved hub or pulley to receive a belt, which would extend about a corresponding pulley feathered on the shaft or rod g.

The can-body, having been held securely in the clamp during all the time that its head was operated upon by the devices just described, is now to be released from the clamp, as it will be, by the arrival of the arm 15 in contact with the releasing-projection 19.

The table 0, in its periphery, is provided with a series of holes, 36, in which, as the table is permitted to rest after the action of the pawl 0 the catch 37 (see Fig. 4) enters and holds the table positively at rest until the proper time arrives to again move it forward, when the said catch is released by the pin 44 on the cam a The yoke b is provided with a loop, 38, into which is entered a spring, 39, attached to the arm 40 of the catch'37, the said arm being pivoted at 41 upon an extension, as herein shown, ofthe projection 19. As the arm 40 is lifted by the pin 44 the spring 39 is bent or flexed, and as thesaid pin passes from below-the said s'prin g thelatter moves quickly to turn the catch and lock the table 0 in place.

I claim- 1. In a machine to solder can-heads into canbodies, an intermittiugly-movable table and a series of clamps for the can-body, combined with an expander to enter and expand the ends of the can-bodies held in the said clamps and presented automatically below the said expand- .er, and with means to operate the said parts, substantially as described.

. 2. In a machine to solder can-heads into canbodies, the intermittingly-movable table and one or more can-holding clamps, and with means to operate the table and clamps, combined with the rosin-holding cup or cylinder to hold the can-head, and with the movable .plun- 'ger within the said cup to act upon and deposit depress the said heads singly into the expanded endof the can-body, combined with means to operate the expander and plunger, substantially as described.

4. In a machiue to solder can-heads into canbodles, the core f the annular casing about it, and feeding-rollers for the wire-solder, combined with means to operate the core and rollers to form the wire-solder into a ring, as set forth.

5. In a machine to solder heads into can-bodies, the core f, the annular casingabout it, feeding mechanism to feed the wire-solder into the annular space between the core and casing to form it into a ring, and the ring-ejector to remove the said ring from the core, combined withmeans to operate the core and ring-ejector, substantially as described.

6. In a machine to solder can-heads into can-bodies, the intermittiugly-rotating table and one or more can-body clamps, the core and feeding-rollers to feed the solder-wire forward and form it into an annulus or ring about the core, and with the ring-ejector to cut the solder-Wire and place the solder-ring in position upon the head, combined with means to operate the said devices, substantially as described.

7. In a machine to solder heads into can- 'bodies, an intermittingly-rotating table, one

or more clamps thereon to hold the can-bodies, the cylinder to hold the can-head, the plunger to act upon and place the canhead in the canbody, the annular casing, the core therein, and feeding mechanism or devices to feed forward the solder-wire, form it into a ring, out it off, and deposit it upon the can-head, combined with means to move the clamps, pluuger,feeding device, and core, substantially as de scribed.

S. Ina machine to solder can-heads into canbodies, an intermittingly-movable table and one or more clamps thereon to hold the canbodies, a cylinder to hold the can-head, a plunger to act upon and push the can-head down into the can-bod y, and a vertically-movable solderbolt to act upon solder placed upon the canhead and melt the same, combined. with means to operate the said moving parts, substantially as described.

. 9. In a machine to solder heads of cans into can -bodies, the following instrumentalities, viz: an intermittingly-operated table, a series of clamps mounted thereon to hold the canbodies, an expander to expand the open end of the can-body, a cylinder to hold a can-head, a plunger to cause the head to be inserted or placed in the body, feeding mechanism to intermittingly move forward the solder-wire, a core to assist in forcing the said wire into a ring or annulus, an ejector to cut off the wire and remove it from the core in position upon the can-head, and a solder-bolt to melt the said solder-wire, and means to automatically operate the said parts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The can-holdin g clamp composed of the collar h and radially-movable sectors 2 3 4, their pins or projections 13, the cam-ring h, and its projections 12, combined with means to operate them, whereby the can-body is released or held, substantially as described.

11. The rotating core f feeding-rollers for the solder-wire, and an annular casing, m, combined with the reciprocating ejector m, to sever the solder-wire and discharge the solderwire ring from the core, substantially as described.

12. The rosin-holding cup or cylinder 6 and the plunger within it, as described, and means to reciprocate the plunger and place it infsuch position as to permit the discharge of rosin from the cylinder about ,thellower end of the plunger, as and for the purpose described.

13. The plate 17, provided with the shelf 24, and the cylinder having the side slot, 25, for the entrance of the can-head therein, combined with the plunger located within the said cylinder, and means to operate it and cause it to descend upon the said head and remove it from the said cylinder into a can-body, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE 'HFPIEROE.

\Vitnesses:

G. P. CLEVELAND, A. J. BREADON. 

